Here is my layout about a gift. I loved this challenge because I had been wanting to document the history of this ring for my kids and I got to use Brandy's beautiful black paper. The journaling reads:
When I was very young, probably, five or six, I used to look through my motherís jewelry box. In the box were three rings. She told me that one of the rings was her engagement ring, one was my great aunt Louiseís engagement ring, and the ruby ring was a gift from my father. The ruby ring was beautiful, with an exquisite stone set in a gold setting that had pink gold flowers set opposite green gold flowers. I loved that ring and my mother said that when it fit me I could have it since it was my birthstone. Every couple of months I tried it on and finally, at about age 9, it fit. From then on I wore it constantly - to school, to play, and when I slept at night. My dad sat next to me at the dinner table and he would take my hand and admire the ring. One day a playmate doubted the authenticity of the ring and she had her mother , who was a jeweler, look at it with her jewelerís loop. She was amazed to pronounce that it was real and somewhat valuable. When I asked my dad the story of the ring, he told me that when he was 18 he had saved to buy my mother the expensive ring. She mistook it for an engagement ring. He did want to marry her but being so young, at this point it was intended as a gift for his future wife. He wanted her to have a diamond engagement ring and so he got together as much as he could and bought her a small diamond ring and proposed properly. I didnít know until much later that my dad had paid $400.00 for the ruby ring back in 1945 ( a great deal of money for a laborer at that time). I was astounded that he had let me wear the ring when I was just a child and I didnít know the true value of it. He said that it gave him such pleasure seeing it on my hand and knowing that I loved it so he never said anything. Even though it was a gift from my dad to my mom and then to me from my mom, I think the greatest gift was knowing that it gave my dad such pleasure to see me wearing it.

Oh - my - goodness! The layout is stunning and the journaling is so special. It fits the challenge perfectly. That is a really neat photo you got of the ring. The black background you used really makes this an elegant layout. I love the way you fit the journaling around the ring. AWESOME job!

A beautiful story. Besides the story of the ring itself, it also speaks of your parents' love for you! I'm so glad you shared it. Amazing photograph, too; it must not have been easy to take a picture of this sparkly gem. I love your elegant title and think you chose the perfect paper to show off the ring. Great extraction, too, by the way; I'm envious of that ability!